On the Subject of Collecting

Someone asked me a few weeks ago whether I collect anything.

At the time, I think I said, "Well, I er, collect books..."

"Yes, but lots of people collect books," he said.

Oh. After a bit of thought nothing else had come to mind, so I declared myself, when it comes to collecting, a rather boring sort of person, and said that no, I didn't collect anything, really.

Later I realised that this isn't strictly true, and that actually, collecting is a rather subjective term. What makes a collection, a collection? And what makes a collector, a collector? It's a question that has been ambling round my head ever since.

I thought about the jars I keep on a shelf. One houses buttons, another shells, another washi tape and another ribbons. I think of purchasing for these jars as 'keeping up the stocks'; making sure I always have supplies in for my next craft project or commission. (Yeah yeah, great excuse!) But their contents have been collected and curated, bit by bit. I also have bags of yarn, tubs of beads and pots of paints.  Does that make me a collector?

I thought about the vintage plates I use to furnish my glass desk. I bought them so as to make my desk aesthetically pleasing... but in doing so, did I become a collector of plates? Do I collect vintage crockery, or do I just happen to own a fair amount of it?

My brain really got going then and I thought about the mountain of jazzy socks I own because they're always wandering off, the DVDs in my bedroom and the Beatrix Potter-related items dotted around my home. What about the fact that I have more teapots than the Mad Hatter? Does a collection simply mean 'having lots of something', or does it constitute a certain amount of curation, seeking items sharing similar qualities? Does a collection have to be proudly displayed and boast its own dedicated dusting apparatus to qualify as such?

In the end I came to a conclusion (you'll be relieved to know this).

1. Collectors are always interesting, though their collections may be interesting to many, or only to themselves.

2. Collections comes in many forms, but to qualify as a collection its items must have been gathered with a certain element of pride and joy. The fun is in the collect-ing, not just in the collect-ion. That's why we all owned so many Pogs back in the day, and why some can't ever open the drawers under their beds for fear that the TY Beanie Babies will finally burst their vacuum pack bags and the secret will be out. To qualify as a collection, its owner must be proud of it or find joy in ownership of it.

3. It's never okay to collect porcelain dolls. I'm sorry, but this is my blog, they are scary and stare-y, and that's just a fact. Moving swiftly on...

Am I a collector? Why yes, I am. And if my collecting ever goes too far and I stray into the category of hoarder, it'll be the books that are my downfall. And I actually own a fair few collections within my book collection, too. I own every book Roald Dahl ever wrote, I leap on 1970s Enid Blytons wherever I find them and have a hefty shelf packed full of children's books (I so wish The Gruffalo had been around when I was a kid.) I also collect craft materials with a certain amount of pride. If you ever pop round for a cuppa, don't ask to see my fabric stash. You'll be there forever.

So, are you a collector? What do you collect? And is it something you'll admit to next time an intellectual type challenges you at a cocktail party?







PS: I'm not an intellectual type, so you can tell me :)

PPS: next time I am put on the spot with that particular question, I will now be prepared. I shall sniff, examine my nails, and say, "yes, I collect bodies. I have lots in my cellar at home." And then smile cheerfully and sidle off to admire the buffet.

Buttons Buttons Buttons

I know I'm not alone in my love for buttons. I think my fascination with them comes from playing with my nan's and mum's button tins as a child. I used to love scooping up little hand fulls of them and letting them cascade through my fingers. I could use them as money when playing shop, group them into categories, then count them, and all for absolutely no reason whatsoever!

These days I keep my own buttons in a glass kilner jar so I can still admire them, but I actually use them every now and again too! And I suppose I still use them as currency, swapping them with friends and giving them as gifts. They come in so many colours, shapes and sizes, and I can never resist buying a few when I visit a haberdashery or vintage shop. 

            

I have a special button-related project to share with you next week. In the meantime I'm off to play shop with my button jar again!

Are you a fellow button freak? 

Have a well-fastened Monday,

A Thing for Pyrex

Mention the word 'Pyrex' to most and they think of their glass jug at home that they bought from the supermarket. You know, the one where you can drop it on the floor and it won't break. They may have a nest of glass Pyrex bowls, too. We're talking about something like this:

Say the word 'Pyrex' (in a sultry, sexy voice) to a vintage enthusiast, however, and they will think of this (often with a dreamy smile and a sigh of happiness):

I bloomin' love the stuff, and I have no idea why. Perhaps it's because it just screams retro in a proud and happy voice; a show of florals and iconic sixties and seventies prints. Perhaps it's because my grandmothers and my parents have been using their Pyrex casserole dishes in the oven and the fridge, in the dishwasher and at the table since time immemorial, and have never had to replace a single item. I have a new-found respect for Pyrex.

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So what is Pyrex, exactly?

Well, first of all, it's one of those 'Hoover' products. Not all Pyrex is made by Pyrex, it's just an easy word for low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. In other words, really, really strong glass that can take a hell of a lot of heat. It's this property, of course, which means that there is still so much Pyrex around today, and why Granny is still using it to make stew and dumplings every week. Actual Pyrex was first brought to market by Corning Inc. in 1915, though these days it is manufactured by World Kitchen. Corning Inc. cannot take all the glory, however, as borosilicate glass was first made by German glass chemist Otto Schott in 1893. Clearly a chap ahead of his time. 


If vintage Pyrex is your thing, and it genuinely is Pyrex and not made by one of the many other vintage glass manufacturers, then it is likely to be made by Corning. 

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Why has it become so popular again?


All things vintage and retro are in, and Pyrex has it by the bucket load. It's a really simple way to add a retro look to your kitchenware. Secondly, as mentioned above, it still does its job beautifully. You can take it from oven to table and not worry about presentation. It can take clinks and knocks and heat and stays strong - I've got forty year old Pyrex items without a chip or a scratch. And because it lasts there is still tonnes of Pyrex around, and although some collectors take their Pyrex purchases very seriously, if you're just buying it to kit out your kitchen like me, or simply because you like it, you'll find it easy to get hold of and cheap to buy. 

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Are my Pyrex items worth anything?

It's hard to say. I remember my fellow students turning up at university with Pyrex bowls and casserole dishes that their parents had had in their attics for years, having replaced them with more modern-looking kitchenware, but knowing they had plenty of use left in them for the offspring who couldn't care less what their cooking kit looked like. One item can have so many purposes that it's ideal for a student. I also see Pyrex at vintage fairs where traders are charging £25 for a dish. In other words, like most things it's only worth what someone will pay for it. Certainly some designs are more sought-after than others, but I've popped some helpful links below so you can find out more about those. 

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What should I look out for when buying vintage Pyrex?

First off, is it Pyrex you're after, or any strengthened vintage white glass? Personally, I buy it because I like it and because I need that item in my kitchen, and I don't worry about the brand.

Second, don't impulse buy in vintage shops and at fairs. You will find Pyrex (and other brands of course) in charity shops and at car boot sales up and down the country. It's everywhere. And it's cheap as chips. Vintage fairs will often cash in on an item's vintage value, and forget that many modern families still use some products daily without a thought for its nostalgic qualities - so you don't have to pay for their added value. You may wish to invest more if a casserole dish comes with, say, its original metal heat stand, but think before you spend. And before you spend at all ask older relatives - both of my grandmothers have Pyrex leftover from when they were feeding large families forty years ago, and are happy for some of it to go to a good home where it will be put back to work and enjoyed on a daily basis. 

I recently added four more bowls to my small collection for 99p.

Third, when buying items in charity shops and car boot sales, check that the lid fits. Some older Pyrex will have wobbly lids even though they are original, because manufacturing processes were not as exact as they are today. That's fine. But only the other week I nearly bought a dish with a lovely hunting scene on it, only to find that the charity shop had popped a completely different lid on it to make it into a set. You don't want the lid exploding in the oven, so check all is as it should be. Obviously you should check for chips and scratches too, though happily this is less of a problem than with other vintage products. 

Although I wouldn't call myself a collector of Pyrex - I only buy what I need and don't worry about buying matching patterns or specific brands - I would call it one of the more satisfying vintage ranges to shop for because it really does crop up quite often, and costs little. That hunting scene dish with the mismatched lid wasn't worth it, but I love knowing that another one will turn up sooner or later.  I also love being able to use my Pyrex, instead of just admiring it. 


For tips on official vintage Pyrex patterns, cleaning your Pyrex and historical info visit: http://www.pyrexlove.com/

The official Pyrex website:
http://www.pyrexware.com/

You will find delicious Pyrex photos here.



Do you have Pyrex that you use all the time? Do you love it, or is it just something that's always been in the cupboard? I've written 'Pyrex' too many times now...

A Beatrix Potter Collection

Beatrix Potter's stories have always played a quiet yet significant part in my life. I've always loved reading  The Tale of Peter Rabbit, The Tailor of Gloucester and The Tale of Mrs. Tiggywinkle, loved the life-like watercolour illustrations, and how each story was the perfect length to be read before bedtime.

My mum loves Beatrix Potter too, and although neither of us set out to collect Beatrix Potter items, she's ended up with quite a stash, and I find myself turning to the stories time and again for artistic inspiration, or escapism. They always make me want to leave my busy life behind and go on a country adventure.

These books were given to my mum by her grandparents when she was small.

My mum collects the Beswick Beatrix Potter figurines, though because they're highly sought after they've always been kept by my parents as investment pieces. Their number has swung between three and two hundred, according to demand at the time! Peter here is a limited edition, and is special because of his gold buttons.

My childhood Beatrix Potter treasury.

This is the only figure I own, and I chose her because I love the original illustration from my favourite of the tales, The Tailor of Gloucester.

These buttons have been hanging around my parents' house since the 1970s. I'd like to use them on a special  project, but the right one hasn't come along yet!

When I visited a friend's hometown in Wales I thought this edition of Mrs Tiggywinkle would made a quirky addition to my mum's library.

This picture hangs on the wall in my parents' dining room. It always makes me smile.

This cup was a gift to celebrate my birth.

I remember watching the television series at my grandparents' when I was little. After a day of scampering around the welsh beaches and woods they were such a tranquil way to end the day.

As well as admiring her stories, Beatrix Potter was a lady of many talents, and you can read my blog post about why I find her so inspiring here. Her furry namesake now wears her name on her ID tag with pride!

Miss Beatrix herself

Are you a fan of the Beatrix Potter stories?